Chap. 3a. An Expofition upon the Boob, of Jos.. Verf. g not take of f the diligence ofman. God doth not worke in us that we should fit 1h1í. ( Prov. a..}. ) Then(halt thou know wifdome when thou feekeft her as filver, 9fsdfearcheft for her us fir hid treafure. And where is this rreafu eto be had ? Surely in the mines of. Scripture, and in all thofeAppayntments whereinGod hash pro- mifed to meete his people , to thine upon them and give them the knowledge of his wayes in Jefus Chrifl. Thirdly , Be thankful! for any gift of knowledge; for every beaine and ray of light be thankful! ; It is God who commands light to thine out of darkneffe , and that God who at frfi com- manded light to thine out of darknefk , dayly ihineth into our hearts, to ive the light of theknowledgeof theglory of God in the faceoffefur Chrifl, ( a Cor. 4. 6.) Fourthly , If underfianding be from Infpiration , then they who have received muchunderflanding,muft be caution'd againfi two evills ; Firft, not tobe proud, nor high minded ; that our gifts come from on high, fhould make us very low in our ovine- eyes., What haft thou that thou haft not received, and if thou haft receivedit, why doeft thouglory as ifthou hAelff not received it ? Thefe are the Apofllesföule-humbling and pride mortifyingque- f+ions or expof+ulations rather (t Cor. 4. -p.) You that have re- ceived the greatengifts, whom the Infpiration of the Almighty bath made moil wife and underf+anding, be ye mot+ humble in your felves. Secondly, let me adde ( which is another dange- rous rock upon which great gifts are apt to dash and fplit you ) rake heed of defpifing thofe who have received leffe ; our porti- ons are divided and allotted to us by the hand ofGod. Divine wifdome.gives us our portion of wifdome; He that hath men, bath no more then God bathgiven; and he that bath lean, bath as much as God is pleafed togive. They defpife the wifdome and`queflion the underflandingof God in givingwifdome, who defpife thofe towhom hegives leffe wifdomeand underfianding then he bath given to themfelves. Fifèhly, To thofe who have receivedbut lictle,I fay alfa two things,by way of caution ; Firf+, doe not envie chofe who have received much;It is of God that they have more then you,is your eye evil becaufe the eve ofGod is good ?Secondly,be not difcon- tented with your own lefier portion; doe not fit downe fullen; fay not wewill doe nothingwithwhat we have received, becaufe we
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